The invention relates generally to techniques to benchmark the price of computer related services, and deals more particularly with a technique to accurately benchmark the market price of computer hardware and program support services, network hardware and program support services, and other computer related services.
Many service providers today provide computer hardware and program support services and network hardware and program support services to other, customer companies. This can be part of a complete or partial outsourcing of these support services. These support services include support for desk top computers, work stations, laptop computers, servers and networks, management of servers and networks, and development and maintenance of software applications. These support services encompass a wide range of activities. For example, the support of programs may include installation of newer versions of software, and fixing problems relating to use of the programs. The support of the hardware may include installation of additional memory or other hardware components, or replacement of antiquated systems. The management of the servers may include server monitoring, performance and capacity management, security services, web hosting services, etc. The service provider may also provide the network circuits used by the customer, update the network hardware and software as needed, and manage availability and operation of the network. Typically, support for computer hardware and programs and network hardware and programs includes a help desk call center.
Often, there is a long term service contract between the customer company and the service provider. The contract will specify the services to be provided to the customer company, and specify the yearly price of the services or provide a price formula to dynamically determine a price based on service volume and other factors. However, it is difficult to estimate a fair market price or devise an accurate formula for the services prices in future years because of market dynamics. While inflation tends to increase the price of services, new efficiencies emerge every year from new automated support tools and techniques. Also, the hardware and programs which are being supported may require less support over time, as they become more and more “autonomic” and reliable. So, the customer company may expect that the price of the services will be periodically reevaluated, and this may be written into the service contract. Thus, the contact may include a “benchmarking” provision, whereby the price of each service provided under the contract is compared to a “benchmark”. In fact, benchmarking companies have sprung up to provide these comparisons. Some benchmarking companies have developed benchmark service models which include specified types and volumes of computer and network support services, and a corresponding cost versus a price for each service silo. The benchmarking company then compares its closest cost-based match to the service contract being benchmarked, to determine if the service contract price is fair. Other benchmarking companies identify other providers of similar services as those specified in the service contract, and ask these other providers to reveal their charge for providing these services. These charges from the other service providers are then compared to the prices specified in the service contract for the customer company to determine if the service contract price is fair. Problems have arisen because the benchmark comparators were not equivalent to the services provided under the service contract. This has resulted in discrepancies between the different benchmark methodologies, and a wide range between benchmark results depnding on the methodology employed (cost-based or price-based) and also the normalization applied.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to improve the process of benchmarking the price of computer hardware and program support services, network hardware and program support services, and other, computer related services.